There used to be a Mortuary Chapel at Mill Road Cemetery, right in the centre of the grounds. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and completed in 1858. It was quite a structure and, as you can see from the picture below, the spire was particularly splendid.

The chapel was demolished in 1954 but continued as the centrepiece of the grounds until the site was recreated in carved stone as part of a project using Heritage Lottery funds, secured by Cambridge City Council. And on January 14 this year, a rededication ceremony was performed where the chapel had been. “New stones have been laid over the original foundations, revealing the size and shape of the chapel,” says the council.

The original Mortuary Chapel at Mill Road Cemetery, from a painting by Richard Harreden Bankes.

“These stones were carved by a stonemason with text about the history of the chapel, while 13 round stones at one end have been carved with the 13 Cambridge parishes that have burial space within the cemetery. Around the doorway at the west end, a verse of a psalm has been inscribed. The project is a focus for remembrance in a site also important for its wildlife and history.”

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The text on the stone uses a new font designed by Anglia Ruskin University student Siobhan Brown, and called “Cordelia Gothic” after Cordelia Whewell, who is buried in the cemetery. Her husband William Whewell, a Master of Trinity, contributed generously to the cost of the chapel, which he wanted to have the same impact in the cemetery as a church in its churchyard.

'Gene' - new font, Cordelia Gothic, designed by Siobhan Brown

“I designed the font used for the outline as part of my final MA project at Anglia Ruskin about a year ago,” Siobhan said. “Somebody else did the stonemasonry work, I’m only responsible for the design of the letters, I’m a graphic designer/typographer – I’m now working as a production manager for a graphic design company in Milton called Ken Vail Graphic Design.

George Gilbert Scott created the original design for the Mill Road cemetery Chapel (Image: Mike Scialom)

“I used a software program called Type-Tool (part of Font-Lab) to create the font. I spent many hours photographing, taking rubbings and studying the stones in the cemetery. The chapel was very ornate, so I felt a suitably ornate and detailed font would be in keeping.

“I also took inspiration from the lettering on the gravestones in the cemetery, but it has been developed further and is more ornamental than most of the gravestone fonts, many of which are very plain.

Siobhan Brown at Mill Road Cemetery Chapel (Image: Mike Scialom)

“The Victorians re-invented this Gothic, ornamental way of marking death using symbols from much earlier.”